The Rites of Spring

Passover, Easter, Beltane. No matter what you celebrate, April is a time for rejoicing. and one of the best ways I know to rejoice is through chocolate. Let's get into the kitchen!

Chocolate Find of the Month:

With the cold blasts of winter behind us, it's time to start thinking about something a trifle lighter and more ethereal. Stardust Bakery & Confections, of Portland, Oregon, can assist these thoughts with their captivating shortbread. It's light, tender, and buttery, as a good shortbread should be...and did I mention that it's dipped in Belgian chocolate? Sometimes it's even decorated with gold! Cory Graves employs only flour, sugar, butter, and pure vanilla in her creations; no preservatives or artificial colorings are ever used. This shortbread, in a cute small star shape, would be just the thing to show someone that they're a star in your eyes.

Stardust Bakery & Confections makes other shortbread in different shapes, including turkeys, leaves, rabbits, and daffodils. Some are chocolate-dipped, some are classic shortbread without the chocolate dipping, and others are brown sugar shortbread. This company receives many special orders; their chocolate-dipped, gold-garnished shortbread stars are popular wedding favors, for example. There's some novel packaging, too, from a self-taught artist who lives on an island off Washington State. The website is not complete as of this writing, so the best way to get in touch with Stardust Bakery & Confections is by calling them at (503) 238-6371, faxing them at (503) 238-6391, or writing them at P.O. Box 13743 in Portland, OR 97213. Whether you want a year off from the usual Easter eggs or are thinking ahead to Mother's Day or that June wedding, check them out!

I Love Chocolate wants YOU!!! Do you have a comment, question, or suggestion? How about a recent chocolate "find" you'd like to share? You can contact me at: sdziadwm@[email-address-removed]; I'd like your input on this column. Thanks!

'Till next month,
Yours in chocolate,
Stephanie

Recipes

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